A drunk kicked out at police, spat at a nurse and said he hoped that an elderly cancer patient in the next hospital cubicle to him “died a long and painful death”.

Michael Weldon also “thrashed around “ and “swung out” at people after he was found lying on the ground at a retail park having drank “lots of lager” and having “not eaten for days”.

Then, when he was released from that first offence and while on bail, the 27-year-old assaulted a Boots pharmacist who refused to supply him with his methadone prescription because he was so drunk.

Derby Crown Court in the Morledge, Derby.

He was initially jailed for six months after pleading guilty to three counts of assault, but this was reduced to 17 weeks at Derby Crown Court because magistrates had not given him suitable credit for his pleas.

Mark Knowles, prosecuting at the crown court appeal, said the first set of offences took place on June 4.

He said police were called to a retail park in Ilkeston as Weldon was lying on the ground refusing to move.

Mr Knowles said: “He was thrashing around and swinging out at people so the police were called and when they arrived he carried on kicking out at them, calling a female officer ‘a whore’.

“They had to use CS spray to restrain him but he carried on thrashing out at paramedics who had come to his aid so the police decided to go with him in the ambulance as they were concerned for the safety of the medical staff.”